ARule Box (Japanese:ルールRule) is a box featured on certainPokémon cards that is labeled a "rule" and contains an additional rule that applies to that Pokémon card.^[1] The term and its mechanical relevance were introduced inBattle Styles, but Rule Boxes first appear onPokémon-EX inNext Destinies.

A Rule Box indicates a special property of the Pokémon and is not considered aneffect.^[2] Rule Boxes can be loosely grouped into one of four categories:

• Most Rule Boxes increase the number ofPrize cards the opponent takes when the Pokémon isKnocked Out, as a trade-off for the higher power level of the card. Most of these make the opponent take two Prize cards rather than just one as normal, as seen with thePokémon-EX rule,Pokémon-GX rule,V rule,VSTAR rule, and thePokémon ex rule. Some of these increase the number of Prize cards taken to three, as with theTAG TEAM rule, theVMAX rule, theV-UNION rule, and theMega Evolution Pokémon ex rule.
• Other Rule Boxes instead restrict the number of the card that can be in the samedeck. The (Prism Star) rule is one such case, only allowing a player to have one copy of aPrism Star card in their deck and additionally sending the card to theLost Zone if it would go to the discard pile. TheRadiant Pokémon rule is slightly different, only allowing a player to put oneRadiant Pokémon in their deck in total. This makes every Radiant Pokémon mutually exclusive to each other.
• TheMega Evolution rule and thePrimal Reversion rule cause the turn to end when aMega Evolution Pokémon or aPrimal Reversion Pokémonevolve from another Pokémon.
• TheBREAK Evolution rule is what allowsPokémon BREAK to have theattacks,Abilities,Weakness,Resistance, andRetreat cost of their previous Evolution.

Some effects interact with Pokémon that have or do not have Rule Boxes, such asPath to the Peak removing the Abilities of Pokémon with Rule Boxes.

Position

Most Rule Boxes are positioned either in the bottom right corner of the card where thePokédex entry is normally located, or just below the art of the card where the Pokédexnumber,category,height, andweight are located. If a Rule Box takes up one of these spaces, the card will not have the Pokédex entry or Pokédex information that would go in that space. (Many cards exclude Pokédex information even if they do not have a Rule Box taking up that space, because the art is either popping out of the art box, extended over the area of the card, or because the card is aFull Art card. These practices take up the Pokédex information space.) As such, these cards cannot be selected by a few effects that query a Pokémon's listed height.

Exclusions

Other additional rules on Pokémon cards that are separated from the main card text in a graphical manner are not considered Rule Boxes, such asAncient Traits and the "How to play a Pokémon V-UNION" section onPokémon V-UNION. No cards released before theBlack & White Series have Rule Boxes as well.^[3]

Trainer cards are described as having a Trainer Rule specifying how their subtype functions in their lower right corner, but are not considered to have a Rule Box.

WhilePrism StarTrainer cards andEnergy cards have the Prism Star rule printed on them, only Pokémon cards have so far been described as having Rule Boxes.

Cards with Rule Boxes

Rule Boxes are found on the following cards. Accompanying each entry is the associated rule or rules.

• Pokémon-EX
  • Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has beenKnocked Out, your opponent takes 2Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
• Mega Evolution Pokémon
  • Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • Mega Evolution rule: When 1 of your Pokémon becomes a Mega Evolution Pokémon, your turn ends.
    • Displaces Pokédex information
• Primal Reversion Pokémon
  • Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • Primal Reversion rule: When 1 of your Pokémon becomes [Name of Pokémon], your turn ends.
    • Displaces Pokédex information
• Pokémon BREAK
  • BREAK Evolution rule: [Name of Pokémon] retains theattacks,Abilities,Weakness,Resistance, andRetreat Cost of its previous Evolution.
• Pokémon-GX
  • Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
• TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX
  • TAG TEAM rule: When your TAG TEAM is knocked out, your opponent takes 3 Prize Cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
• Prism Star
  • (Prism Star) rule: You can’t have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
    • Displaces Pokédex information
• Pokémon V
  • V rule: When your Pokémon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
• Pokémon VMAX
  • VMAX rule: When your Pokémon VMAX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
• Pokémon V-UNION
  • V-UNION rule: When your Pokémon V-UNION is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
    • Since Pokémon V-UNION cannot have characteristics aside from name, card type, andtype referenced while not in play, Pokémon V-UNION do not have a Rule Box while not in play.^[4]
• Pokémon VSTAR
  • VSTAR rule: When your Pokémon VSTAR is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
• Radiant Pokémon
  • Radiant Pokémon rule: You can’t have more than 1 Radiant Pokémon in your deck.
    • Displaces Pokédex information
• Pokémon ex
  • Pokémon ex rule: When your Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry
• Mega Evolution Pokémon ex
  • Mega Evolution ex rule: When your Mega Evolution Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
    • Displaces the Pokédex entry

Format usage

• The unofficialGym Leader Challenge format excludes cards with Rule Boxes from being used, along with additional community definitions:
  • Prism Star Trainer and Energy cards are considered to have a Rule Box for the purposes of card legality.
  • ACE SPEC cards are not allowed.
  • Pokémon with Ancient Traits were not allowed in the format until November 16, 2021.
• Official instances of the Gym Leader Challenge format conflict.Pokémon Trading Card Game Live follows the community ban list, while the Alternative Play Handbook rules only prevents the play of Pokémon with Rule Boxes, allowing other types of cards.^[5]
• The alternative Pack Battle andDitto Draft formats from the Alternative Play Handbook only allow placing Ditto Markers on Pokémon without a Rule Box.

Trivia

In other languages

References

• Pokémon Trading Card Game mechanics